Bowden: O's have made significant offer to Konerko

[SrMeowMeow]

Can someone make the case as to why Konerko for 3-4 years is better than Derrek Lee for 2 years, a second round pick and 20-30 million dollars?

That's hard to do, seeing there is no case.

[clapdiddy]

Can someone make the case as to why Konerko for 3-4 years is better than Derrek Lee for 2 years, a second round pick and 20-30 million dollars?

The only reason I could think of is that Derrek Lee has no desire at all to come here...which is a distinct possibility.

[Shopay]

Beltre did not want to come here either last year.

O's fans need to forget about Beltre. He's not going to come to B'More. Much better shot at Konerko. Focus on Lee/Konerko and Reynolds.

[Scrat1]

I wouldn't hate this move, but there are much smarter moves for the Orioles out there.

[SilentJames]

I wouldn't hate this move, but there are much smarter moves for the Orioles out there.

Indeed. I mean, Lee is the smarter move. It just is, but this is not a bad move and we could do a heck of a lot worse than this.

[jaygdevil11]

great post -- i couldn't agree more -- it's time to upgrade -- it's time to spend a few bucks -- "everyone" on this board seems obsessed with getting perfect value -- the o's have a club right now with zero contracts that are over value -- maybe roberts' contract looks a little rich right and maybe gonzo -- but we only have one more year of gonzo commitment and roberts is the face of the franchise.

Really, there are no other contracts that are obscene to which the o's are committed. Is there any club in baseball that can say that????? If there are, they are, like the o's, at the bottom of their division.

The orioles are like the guy who saves and saves and never spends/enjoys his money and then dies.

It's time to live a little -- we need guys who could be .850 or .900 ops guys to compete for a playoff spot -- the o's have exactly zero of them on the roster. Zero. The o's need to find at least two guys like that and a ss who has a solid enough glove can give us a .700 ops instead of .550.

Konerko was 2x the player derrek lee was last year -- i wouldn't mind lee and if i had to choose lee for a year/two years over konerko for 3/4 i can see the point -- lee is a far better glove. But i think the chances of a .850 ops are better from konerko than lee at this point. Gladly, take him if he will come.

Amen Brotha! :clap3:

[Shopay]

Can someone make the case as to why Konerko for 3-4 years is better than Derrek Lee for 2 years, a second round pick and 20-30 million dollars?

If you could over pay and get Konerko on a two year deal plus a club option for third year, how much would you be willing to over pay?

[JTrea81]

Can someone make the case as to why Konerko for 3-4 years is better than Derrek Lee for 2 years, a second round pick and 20-30 million dollars?

Well he's played in the AL before, has more power, and unlike Lee is coming off a .977 OPS season with no injuries.

However he does have a right thumb issue that plagued him for 2008 and 2009 courtesy of a Mussina pitch that jammed him in 2008. There was no hint of it in 2010 however...

[Os84]

Connoly also hears that the O's have made an offer to Konerko and other free agents: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/2010/12/orioles_have_made_several_offe.html

[hoosiers]

Can someone make the case as to why Konerko for 3-4 years is better than Derrek Lee for 2 years, a second round pick and 20-30 million dollars?

It's a good question and I would probably take the Lee scenario if given a choice.

Not knowing whether Lee will come here or if he might but we would have to out-bid a few other teams, I'll take the bird in the hand.

Not sure what Konerko can produce, but the OPS has been north of 840 every year but one since 2004, and I'd like to add a bat of that caliber.

All that said, if it's a four year deal, we'll have overpaid.

[Sports Guy]

If you could over pay and get Konerko on a two year deal plus a club option for third year, how much would you be willing to over pay?

I wouldn't...Konerko isn't worth the loss of the pick IMO.

[clapdiddy]

I wouldn't...Konerko isn't worth the loss of the pick IMO.

I'm thinking this as well. I'd be fine with signing Konerko to a 3 year deal if we had offered Millwood and Koji arbitration and they declined.

[Sports Guy]

Well he's played in the AL before, has more power, and unlike Lee is coming off a .977 OPS season with no injuries.

However he does have a right thumb issue that plagued him for 2008 and 2009 courtesy of a Mussina pitch that jammed him in 2008. There was no hint of it in 2010 however...

I guess that's the case for him..but just as I thought..it's a poor case.

If Lee doesn't want to come here, go get LaRoche..or move Scott to first...Or look to move Guthrie for a guy like Alonso..or add Loney and see if a change of scenary and better hitters park helps him.

All of those options are better than losing a pick and giving Konerko a stupid contract.

[VeveJones007]

Well he's played in the AL before, has more power, and unlike Lee is coming off a .977 OPS season with no injuries.

However he does have a right thumb issue that plagued him for 2008 and 2009 courtesy of a Mussina pitch that jammed him in 2008. There was no hint of it in 2010 however...

I follow the Sox. Trust me, he played through the injury all year. It forced him to miss games here and there and the beat reporters said that he was constantly in a lot of pain. Now, it didn't affect him in 2010, but it may going forward.

He'll be a .800-.850 OPS player for 2 years max. That's not a guy they should overpay.

[SilentJames]

I wouldn't...Konerko isn't worth the loss of the pick IMO.

You're right, the Orioles farm system is not in any shape to really be handing picks away. But honestly Konerko is a solid bat the likes of which we haven't seen here in a minute.

Lee may have no desire to come here at all, Konerko is more expensive than I would like to have but I think he would be worth it at the end of the day.

Still agree with your view though.